Spoilers Star Trek: Picard 1x06 - "The Impossible Box"

Maybe they'll pull a Fast and Furious: "We'd rather have Jason Statham as a good guy, so the beloved character he murdered... is still alive! Yay!"

 

I can live with that. It's a better redemption than what Kylo Ren got in TROS.

 

My thoughts exactly. I think she will face justice by the hand of Elnor...

 

So it has now been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that Soji is an android, because she falls asleep within 70 seconds of talking to her mother. I guess I must finally face the truth: I am an android.

But that's okay, I can live with that. Another thing that I can live with is Picard finally running into someone who is happy to see him. Namely, Hugh. And I finally realized who Hugh has been reminding me of: Special Agent Dale Cooper in Twin Peaks. And here he is, dealing with twin androids. Coincidence? I think so.

What did we learn in this episode? Well, we learned that young scientists travel around the galaxy armed with more Polaroids than Earth-bound humans kept in their attics in the 1960s. Not to mention that they pin up their own childhood drawings in their quarters on a field expedition to an alien artifact. No glitches in her programming at all.

We also learned that Rios has an Emergency Soccer Hologram, who made it with Agnes. What is up with that? Is Agnes planning to kill Rios next? Or am I just being overly suspicious because she killed one boyfriend already? One does not constitute a pattern.

We also learned that the Borg have completely abandoned their plans to assimilate the universe, because they have a transporter that can teleport them 40,000 light years in one jump and they haven't used it even though it would make them unstoppable.

And we learned that Raffi may have exaggerated her progress in getting clean and sober.

Overall, an interesting episode, though, with some nice touches. The Romulan Rubik's Cube provided a nifty plot device to demonstrate the different approaches of the Romulan siblings: Impulsiveness versus patience. And it finally turned out to be a murder weapon intended for Soji. It was a great scene when the encroaching radioactive mist triggered her and she went right through the floor. Rommie-boy better make sure his affairs are in order now.

This episode focused a lot on Picard's history with the Borg, beginning with his conversation with Agnes and Elfwich (who has a habit of "in-butting" ). Then continued with his research on the holodeck, which seemed to be nothing more than picking at the scab. And then finally with the full-fledged flashbacks and panic attacks on the cube. But that nightmarish scenario was nicely mitigated by Hugh's VIP tour of the reclamation project, and Picard seeing that the Borg drones are as much victims as he was and that it's possible for them to be saved. Hugh wants him to be the spokesmodel for XB acceptance into society, and I hope that becomes a part of the series in the future.

In any case, the Rommie Twins managed to find a clue to the location of the android nest, before alienating Soji with a murder attempt. Personally I would have held out for more than "two red moons and a thunderstorm," like maybe a ZIP Code or something. But the sister seems to be satisfied and the seeds were planted for brother to turn the corner and become an android lover-- figuratively as well as literally.

Next week, we will be seeing Riker and Troi at last. I've been assuming that those scenes take place in Alaska, so perhaps Picard has transported himself back to Earth. Now what will become of Hugh and Elfwich? I really hope Hugh doesn't die. In fact, I hope nobody else dies but Agnes.

 

Well, he asked to be sent to a place called Nepenthe and told Rios to pick him up at Nepenthe, so I hope he hasn't gone to Alaska or he'll have to make another call to get his lift re-routed!

 

Maybe it's a town. 99847, Nepenthe, AK

 

Elnor can try.

 

That is correct except you are already in a thread that is tagged as a spoiler.

 

This thread was tagged as spoilers from the start.

Its in red letters before the title.

 

A nitpick, 40,000 light years, on rewatching the episodes Stargate moment this number has stuck in my mind, at first I thought she said the stargate had a range of 4000, this needs digitally removed from the episode.

If it could send Borg 40,000 light years surely everyone would have implants.

 

Thanks for pointing this out. RIker & Troi log cabin seems to be located in a mountaineous outdoor area, presumably in a cool climate. Nepenthe, Alaska is certainly very plausible...

 

Little off-topic, But still today I'm traumatized by an episode of C.H.I.P.S. where one of the protagonist, Poncherello, falls in love with a girl, they plan to marry, but then she is killed by her ex and he is devastated all in a television hour. And in the following episode everyone is happy and easy-going like nothing is happened AND SHE IS NEVER MENTIONED AGAIN! I was only 12 at the time, but still I thought that was one of the most reset button EVER.

 

Either way, BSG had 24 episodes a season to do those things. Picard, and most other shows now, have 10(ish).

 

Before I cause any misunderstandings, I'll admit it's a fictional place and a fictional zip code... I made sure it doesn't match any real ones

 

She activates, smashes through the floor, Romulans chase her, runs into Hugh and Picard, Hugh leads them to a Spacial Trajector that just happens to be on the cube and Picard and Soji use it to escape (telling the ship to come meet them at their destination, which is a place called Nepenthe), with Hugh and Elnor left awaiting angry Romulan reinforcements deep inside the cube.

 

Better than Rura Penthe.

 

Finally watched the episode.

Not really surprised they glossed over the death of Maddox, its too soon for Jurati to spill her guts, no accident that Picard /Soji and Jurati have been split up, same goes with why Jurati hasn't met Rizzo or Narek yet as they could recognise each other.

Still think Jurati is in it up to her neck even though you can take her moves on Rios in more than one way, her clever use of the Borg to throw Picard off was a calculating act, I was especially caught by her comment to Rios about her ability to know she is making a mistake as she is doing it, indicating she has made more than one over the years, Mars and Maddox spring to mind for me.

I am open to her being a recent convert and will review that position with every episode though, for the moment however she is looking very good for the attack on Mars.

Picard's search for a friendly face has finally born fruit, all the Borg stuff was good and Hugh was just gravy.

No surprise the Romulans are involved in the reclamation project, that technology they are taking off the drones is worth a lot of money, makes me wonder why the Federation didn't set a similar project up, they probably will as a result of Picards actions at the end of the season/series.

Narek seemed a bit upset with his choice which strikes me as rather stupid, if you know something is clearly a bad idea then don't do it, no doubt the scene was added to show his internal conflict and set up the potential for a face turn later on, I already know how he will convince Soji when they next meet, he will tell her his secret 4th (actually his 3rd) name that was setup in this episode.

EDIT: He told her his secret name in the special room but I missed it, credit goes to @Tosk for the correction.

Did he choose the slowest method of killing on purpose to give her a chance, he must know how strong she is.

Will be interesting to see how they recover Elnor and whether or not he has a fight with Rizzo.

Next stop Will and Deanna.

I give it a 9 this week, I was fine with the previous episodes but that felt like a cut above the rest.

 

Never watched Bonanza, did you? Any woman who fancied a Cartwright was dooooooomed.